Tag Archives: Catherine Balavage

How To Find The Perfect Jeans. Mimi Noor Tells You How

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james_twiggy_blackclean_01Frost Magazine has called on Mimi Noor, the owner of Miminoor.com, to help you find the perfect pair of jeans. Mimi offers a personal outfit builder advice section on her website. With a focus on how to buy the perfect jeans and turn the chore of finding the right pair into a pleasurable experience.
Mimi Noor stocks a variety of designer brands including J Brand, Victoria Beckham, James Jeans, Wild Fox, Zoe Karssen and Des Petit Hauts.
What should a woman look for when buying jeans?  
One of the first recommendations I would make is to really narrow down what
occasions you want your denim for as it’s going to determine what to
look for in a new pair of jeans. There are so many fantastic denim brands
that are able to offer styles to suit every shape so women no longer have to
worry about a certain jean style for their body; it’s all about lifestyle.
Work out if you want an everyday pair or one for evenings/smart casual wear. What footwear are you likely to wear with it?  I’ve had so many customers who have admitted to buying several pairs of flares or bootcuts because they tried them on with killer heels, which looked great in the shop. However, if your lifestyle means that you can’t wear killer heels all day every day then you’re not going to get the right amount of wear and should reserve these styles for evenings out or special occasions.
What is the main problem women have when buying jeans?
Buying jeans on your own can be a scary experience because most stores don’t
offer the sort of assistance you need when finding that perfect pair of
jeans. Many brands run sizing differently so you never know what size
you are, It is not always obvious how the styles differ and often no one is
available or knowledgeable in denim to help you pull out the right size,
colour or shape once you’re in the changing room.
How do they fix this?
I would always recommend shopping with a friend or relative you trust if
you’re buying denim from the high street or in department stores. Take your
friend with you to help bring you alternative options or sizes once you’re
in the changing room and ask their honest opinion on whether the cut suits
you. Alternatively, shop with a specialist like us. We provide a
consultative service where we establish what you want your jeans for,
determine your general size, provide alternative options based on your
feedback and then do any further alterations you may require (such as hemming to
the correct length).
goldsign_misfit_ronny_01
I find it really hard to find a great pair of jeans, they always seem too big at the waist. What is your main tip for women to buy the perfect jeans?
The 3 main considerations to make when buying your perfect jeans are
1) What purpose do I want these jeans for
2) What footwear am I most likely to wear with them
3) What rise is most comfortable for me
So many pear shaped women struggle to find a pair of jeans that fit well on the legs and fit neatly into the curve of the back or waist as you’ve mentioned. This is where rise comes into play!
Depending on your figure your preferred rise will vary. So often we find that women who have that perfect pear shape will need a jean with a higher rise and greater fabric stretch so that the jean fits perfectly on the legs and nips into the back of your waist.
For ladies who are really long bodied the high rise is going to sit
like a mid rise so it’s really important to factor the rise that’s most
comfortable for you.
What are the best jeans for the following body shapes: Tall, short, petite
and curvy?
 
The denim market right now is full of amazing brands that are able to offer
a plethora of styles for every body shape out there so the traditional
combinations such as a pear shape with a bootcut don’t necessarily apply anymore. As a general rule I would suggest:
Tall: A mid to low rise jean in a straight or skinny style. My pick would be the Goldsign misfit, which is long in length with a 14″ leg opening that means it’s sleek but not ankle tight.
Short: Super skinny styles look great on smaller girls as they flatter a more petite
frame. My favourite would be the James Jean Twiggy style.
Curvy: Curvy girls look best in two shapes. Firstly, a high waisted skinny looks
fantastic on a pear shape when teamed with boots or heels. Equally a
babyboot looks great on this frame. Pick the J Brand Maria or 818
respectively.
What are your favourite jeans?
Picking a favourite is so hard but so far this season I have been living in
my Mih Bonn in minidot. It’s a cropped skinny with a high waist, which is
perfect on my frame and the fabric is super soft. I love how the polka dots are on trend but subtle enough for everyday wear.

What To Look For In A Hotel

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default-header_0013dcf0acHotels can be a home away from home or simply just a place to stay the night. While people have different preferences there are a few things you should look for in a hotel. Here is our list.

Location

Arguably one of the most important things about the hotel you choose is the location. It is worth paying more for a hotel that is close to what you want to see or where you will be working.

Other things to look out for is a hotel which has good transport links. If you rent a car this may not matter, but if you don’t you will be stuck in the middle of nowhere.

If you go somewhere like New York you will want a good view of the city. If you can afford it, paying more for this would broaden the experience. The Hotel Tirler in Italy has beautiful views. Definitely worth a visit.

What’s included

You will have to check what is included in the price of the room. Some will have toiletries and some will even include breakfast in the price. Few things in life are more annoying than turning up to a hotel, exhausted only to find out that the hotel does not have any shower gel and you cannot even clean the day off.

Reputation

Reputation is a thing that precedes all else. If a hotel is slammed online I would stay clear. Of course it is hard to please everyone and even the best hotels have a few people who have complaints. So research and then make an informed judgement.

Reviews and the star system.

The internet is a wonderful thing. Before you could get a gauge about a hotel on how many stars it had. This is still quite reliable, but read reviews online too. I have stayed in four star hotels and wondered how the hell they managed to get their rating.

Bed

What is more important than the bed? Not much. You are in a hotel to sleep right? And if not…ahem, you probably still want a good bed.

Extras

Some hotels have gyms, restaurants, libraries, tea rooms, bars, spas, saunas. The list goes on. If you are a gym bunny you probably want one in the hotel you are staying in. You may also want to check whether any of this is inclusive. The Ampersand Hotel in London has a lot of extras, including a gym, a business centre and a beautiful, quaint tea room.

What do you look for in a hotel? What hotels do you recommend? Let us know and we will include them.

 

Egg In A Cup | Snack Ideas

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Egg in a cup is one of my favourite snacks, but not many people know about it. The name pretty much says it all. It is just an egg (or two) in a cup, with some butter. I had this all the time when I was growing up.

Just take two eggs, boil them for seven minutes and then peel them. Put the eggs in a cup and then take some butter and smother them in the butter. Cut them into sections of four or six and then add more butter. Mix the egg and butter well and then eat!

It really is a low calories snack (if you are economical with the butter. I never am) which you can make in 10 minutes. Try it and let us know what you think.

photo(17)photo(16)photo(18)photo(19)Egg in a cup

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream | Beauty Review

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elizabethardeneighthourcreamElizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream is constantly on the major magazines best of beauty lists. It is the little tub of cream that has a million uses and is a favourite of celebrities. My family and friends also love it. Here is my review.

Elizabeth Arden says their Eight Hour Cream soothes minor skin irritation and is also for the symptoms of chapping, peeling and flaking due to minor burns, sunburn, windburn, scrapes, abrasions and cracked lips. Phew. That is quite a list. Created in 1930, it is Elizabeth Arden’s bestseller, with a tube of the stuff selling somewhere in the world every 30 seconds.

I use the cream on my lips and it is a great lip balm. I also use it on my hands which are really drying out because of the weather and it really sorts them out. It is great on dry skin, you can really feel it healing the skin. I end up using it on my feet too. It makes them really smooth. I also put it along my cheekbones to highlight them when I am going out. It is good on rashes and burns. In fact it solves pretty much any skin based problem.

I quite like the smell but it is not to everyone’s taste. I know Elizabeth Arden recently brought out a version that is scent free. I think Eight Hour Cream is a great all-purpose balm. An essential for every make up bag. I am addicted now.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant 50ml

 

 

The Shining Girls Book Review + 5 Copies To Giveaway

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shininggirlsThe Shining Girls is a book about a serial killer who kills girls who shine. One by one they die, but not Kirby. The heroine of the story is a courageous, feisty girl who survives a vicious attack and then hunts down the man who tried to kill her. Kirby is definitely one of the most ballsy fictional heroines for a long time. You could imagine her teaming up with Lisbeth Salander. She is brave and as witty as she is determined to bring the man who tried to kill her and killed her dog to justice. (don’t be thrown about the dog, it is a heartwarming and sad part of the story. You will fall in love with the dog)

Harper Curtis, a violent and arrogant killer, stumbles across a house that opens up into other times, allowing him to visit his victims as children, teenagers and women. He murders them in a horrendous way across the decades. He is a skilled killer without mercy. He thinks he is invincible and undetectable, but is he a match for Kirby?

Kirby teams up with Dan, an ex-homicide journalist who investigated her attempted murder. He is burnt out and jaded. Covering sport instead when Kirby becomes his intern for a college credit. They make an unlikely pair but they are a great team. Kirby’s mother Rachel is another brilliant character.

This well written, pacy book was hard to put down. Written by Lauren Beukes who won the coveted Arthur C. Clarke Award for her visionary novel Zoo City in 2011. The Shining Girls crosses over a few genres and manages to do them all flawlessly. Crime meets thriller meets science fiction.

Beukes is an incredibly talented writer. It seems obvious to say a writer is good at putting sentences together, but some are better than others. The book is obviously well researched with wonderful gems of information and character observation throughout.

The killings in the book are quite horrific so the book may not be for the faint-hearted. The fact that the book is fiction does not make Harper Curtis any less terrifying. The Shining Girls is a very original book. An exceptional example of thriller writing.

Frost Magazine has five copies of The Shining Girls to giveaway. To win just follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, ‘I want to win #TheShiningGirls with @Frostmag’. Alternatively like us on Facebook or sign up for our newsletter. Good luck.

 

The girl who wouldn’t die, hunting a killer who shouldn’t exist…

Lauren Beukes’ ‘The Shining Girls’ is out on Thursday 25 April. You can buy it here.

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Margaret Thatcher Dies At 87

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margaretthatcherMargaret Thatcher died today after suffering a stroke. She was 87.

The former grocers daughter was Britain’s first and only female Prime Minister. Lord Bell, her spokesman said: “It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning. A further statement will be made later.”

Lady Thatcher will have a ceremonial funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral with full military honours.

Prime Minister David Cameron gave his tribute: “It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Lady Thatcher. We have lost a great leader, a great Prime Minister and a great Briton.”

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the defining figures in modern British politics.

“Whatever side of the political debate you stand on, no-one can deny that as prime minister she left a unique and lasting imprint on the country she served.

Liberal Democrat MP Martin Horwood tweeted: “Sad news about Baroness Thatcher. Don’t miss her policies but a towering figure in 20th c British politics, & made history UK’s 1st woman PM.”

Conservative MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston Zac Goldsmith tweeted: “There’s a reason every aspiring leader wanted to be photographed alongside Lady T. A giant, not just of the C20 but in our country’s history.”

Tom McPhail, Head of Pensions Research at Hargreaves Lansdown, said her government was responsible for the launch of Personal Pensions in July 1988 and for the scrapping of compulsory occupational pension scheme membership, in April 1988. Her political ideology emphasising individual rights and responsibilities, rather than collectivism (“there’s no such thing as society”) can still be seen today. Pension provision may be focused through the workplace but with the end of final salary pensions and the move to money purchase arrangements, the question of what people get to live on in retirement is increasingly dependent on the decisions which they take for themselves.

What are your views on Margaret Thatcher? Do you think she was a good Prime Minister? Let us know.

 

 

Claude’s Kitchen | Restaurant Review

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platesClaude’s Kitchen in South West London is an atmospheric restaurant above a pub in Fulham. The kitchen is headed up by Claude Compton, the founder of award-winning streetfood company Green Goat Food co. and ex-chef of Petersham Nurseries and Club Gascon. The food is imaginative and also looks great.

Starters

Cornish Mackerel. (line caught)

Red Grape. Blood Orange, Beetroot, Bloody Mary Sauce.

I liked this starter. The ingredients would not necessarily go together, but they did in this dish. The bloody mary sauce is brilliant. The combination of ingredients are beautiful when you combine them, and also on their own. The mackerel is well cooked and a little crispy on top. Though it does have bones in it. Which is a pet hate of mine. When I go to a restaurant I don’t want to pick bones out of my fish. All in all I recommend this starter.

Wood Pigeon (Seared)

Celeriac, Cardamon, Pickled Red Onion, Lavender, Honey, Port.

Another interesting combination. Showing the imagination and originality of the restaurant. This also worked. Even with the risk of using lavender, which if used incorrectly tastes like their is soap in your food. This was the first time I had eaten wood pigeon. The meat tastes good and is cooked well. I also love port so this dish was also a winner for me. A lovely, well prepared combination of ingredients that really work together. The celeriac puree was delicious.

Main

Duck Legs (Braised)

Red Cabbage, Wine, Currents, Cabbage Gazpacho, Seville Orange

The duck is beautiful. Just perfectly done. The dish is quite sweet, but this is not a complaint, I like it. The red cabbage is good and the sauce is delicious. Very good.

Megrim Sole (Whole, Char-grilled and Cornish)

Wild Garlic, Almonds, New Pots, Shaved Sprouts, Sprouting

Like the mackerel the sole had bones in it. I know it says ‘whole fish’, but there are a lot of bones which stopped me enjoying the fish as much as I would have liked. However, the fish does taste good, and comes with a generous helping of greens on top with almonds for crunch. The new potatoes come on the side, in their skin and covered in butter and herbs. They are delicious. Barring the bones (that’s a mouthful!) I really liked this dish. Great flavours.

Dessert

Sweet & Sour Rhubarb

Lemon & Star Anise Possit – Hot Piquillo Tuille

Beautiful rhubarb that came with a great sauce. The Lemon & Star Anise Possit is divine.

Bitter Choc Parfait

Red Wine Figs, Beet Crisp, Fizzy Grapes.

This looked great and tasted great too. Another great and imaginative dish. The beet crisp is pretty cool and is a great touch. I love the figs too. The fizzy grape is a fizzy grape sauce covered over the dish. It is just delicious.

Claude’s Kitchen does beautiful food at reasonable prices. Highly recommended.

51 Parsons Green, SW6 (020 7371 8517). Dinner Tues-Sat from 6pm.

 

 

 

Tweaking The Dream By Clea Myers | Book Review

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cleamyersMany people have landed in the city of dreams with high hopes of making it big, and in return Los Angeles has chewed them up and spit them out. There are over 100,000 actors in LA and not everyone gets to live their dream. This book by Clea Myers is a cautionary tale. One that should be read by every wannabe. Clea is from a good background, went to Brown University and landed a job with a top producer. Then everything went wrong and she became addicted to crystal meth.

First of all I will point out that Clea is a friend. She is a very lovely person and incredibly talented. She now lives in London and is a writer and casting associate. She even gave an amazing performance in my film Prose & Cons. As I read the book I found it hard not to only to picture this drug addicted young woman with the Clea I know, but I also found it hard to read about her suffering. It is quite a story, and a testament to how strong Clea is, and how far she has come. Clea is heartbreakingly honest and holds nothing back. Her nightmare descent is told in vivid glory. It is a story that was brave to tell and she should be commended for it.

The book is well written. Clea is obviously a writer of note. The tale of her descent into crystal meth addiction should be read by everyone from drug addicts to school children. It is the most anti-drug book I have ever read. In fact, the most anti-drug thing I have every come across. For this reason it should be widely read. If it stops just one person from becoming addicted to drugs then it will have served it’s purpose.

Tweaking The Dream is an excellent read. Even if, like me, you don’t know anything about drugs. The story is partly an epic struggle of survival and another side of Hollywood. An excellent book.

Tweaking the Dream: A Crystal Meth True Story